


Catch A Falling Star

by taichara



Category: Dragalia Lost (Video Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:48:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21948325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taichara/pseuds/taichara
Summary: Sometimes you just need a moment to catch your breath.
Comments: 8
Kudos: 20





	Catch A Falling Star

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kalloway](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalloway/gifts).



Dragonyule preparations -- like all major festivities -- were a wonderfully hectic time, and Cleo was eternally grateful for anyone (who was not, oh, Ranzal, say) who was willing to lend a pair of helping hands and some hours out of their day without managing to burn down the kitchens or bleed all over nice fabrics by stabbing themselves with their needle. 

This year her most dedicated helper turned out to be Marth. Cleo hadn't expected the prince to be as clever in the scullery as he was; but he wrangled dishes and chopped ingredients and, most important, learned quickly and _listened_ to her when she gave instructions -- which is why she was flat shocked when she'd asked for the saunders to dye the next batch of gingerbread and there was not a peep of response. Then even _more_ shocked when Marth was nowhere to be seen.

_This isn't like him …_

She was too concerned to be mad, really, and (luckily) the recipe could sit a little without too much disaster. So she shucked her apron, scanning around for some indication -- ah, that breeze was distinctive enough now that she wasn't so close to the ovens. Went out the back way, through the buttery, did he? Well, that was also interesting …

-*-

"There you are …"

Marth hadn't gone far -- he'd hardly gone at all, really, perched as he was on the outside steps and, as she came up to him, staring past the treeline into the vast night sky above their heads. There were so very many stars, in fact, that Cleo could hardly miss the faintest of glimmers reflected in Marth's face when he turned to look at her.

Oh. Well, this was rather different, wasn't it?

"If something went wrong, I wish you'd told me instead of up and leaving."

His headshake of denial was perhaps a touch too quick.

"Nothing went wrong, or was wrong -- I just … I needed to step out for just a minute and collect myself. It was getting warm, and I felt a little …"

"A little overwhelmed?"

Simple question, rather more gentle than some might have expected. There was plenty of space on the chilly stone steps; Cleo sat herself down next to Marth with a bit of a sigh. He wasn't wrong on one count at least; it _was_ blessedly warm next to the ovens. The crisp winter air was nice, and she decided to take the moment to unpin her ornaments and feel the winter breeze on her ears, maybe cool down a little. Marth was busy looking at his hands now, and shaking his head again; but there was no mistaking that pained little laugh.

"Overwhelmed is a good word, I think. Maybe it's not the only one? But it's a nice start. I -- I starting thinking about Altea, is all. Some of what we're making today, it suddenly reminded me, and …"

Oh. Oh. Oh yes, she knew this one, this disconnection, in her own way. What a pang lanced through her. Cleo patted Marth's hand, much to his surprise.

"And it's a long, long way from people that are important to you."

Marth's head jerked up, surprise clear on his face. Cleo gave him another little pat, her smile honest through a quiet kind of wistfulness of her own.

"If you want to wait, the gingerbread isn't going far. I can move on to another one from the list and you can come back in when you're ready. Dragonyule is supposed to be enjoyed, even the preparations."

"No, I'll be alright, and I apologize for -- oh!"

Already pink in the cheeks with embarrassment, Marth was flushing deeper. And definitely looking at her ears. How many peculiar little moments were they going to have today …?

Before she could move, he'd reached out to touch her left one.

"Are you alright, Cleo? You're --"

… Oh. She chuckled.

"I'm half-lopped, I think is the human term. Lop- _sided_ , more like! But not to worry, I am perfectly fine, and neither am I unhappy or displeased. Just a little, well, lopsided. And before you ask, I'm not _hiding_ them; I simply like these sorts of ornaments."

"Ah -- then I should apologize again, for --"

Flustered he might be, but he hadn't moved his hand away either. Cleo twitched her ear and was rewarded with a hilarious little squeak as Marth jumped with surprise; she tapped him on the knuckles, lightly.

"But you're a little distracted, are you?"

Oh _now_ he was definitely flustered. And failing, and turning an incredible shade of red (no saunders needed here), and mumbling something about fur and soft and he hadn't expected and -- and that was rather nice -- and …

Maybe she should be embarrassed, or also flustered, or both of those, or maybe even sort of flattered. But no, not right now. This was rather different, wasn't it --? He'd been distracted from whatever it was he'd left unsaid, even if it was just by violet velvet. And for a moment, just a moment, maybe … if it eased that emptiness, if only for a moment …

She tipped her head slightly, ears twitching.

"Go ahead, I can see that you're curious. I don't mind for now, but then we need to hie ourselves back to the kitchen."

"… Thank you, Cleo. Truly."

Still embarrassed, but not enough to keep him from reaching out. And so Cleo found herself still perched on the buttery's stone steps, being petted on the ears by the prince of Altea while the stars shone overhead and the bustle of the Dragonyule season echoed up to them. And that? That was fine. It was a moment she gifted freely.

She wasn't sure, in the end, which of them received the greater gift.


End file.
